SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold 12 public meetings across the state to review and receive comments on proposed hunting, trapping and fishing regulations on Monday, March 13 and Tuesday, March 14, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Hunters, trappers, anglers, landowners and other interested parties will have an opportunity to comment on proposed 2017 hunting regulations for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, black bear and boar, pr

West Virginia hunters harvest 3,012 black bears in 2016

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia hunters harvested 3,012 black bears during the combined 2016 archery, crossbow and firearms seasons, according to Colin Carpenter, Black Bear Project leader for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

The preliminary black bear harvest data for the combined 2016 seasons were 6 percent lower than the record set in 2015. The harvest is the second highest bear kill recorded and is the second time the harvest has topped 3,000.

Hunters are encouraged to conduct preseason scouting and equipment checks

Posted on 09/07/2016

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - September marks the opening of a number of hunting seasons across West Virginia, including squirrel (Sept. 10) and archery deer and bear (Sept. 24). It's also a good time to spend in the woods scouting your favorite hunting areas, according to Ethan Barton, Division of Natural Resources (DNR) assistant District 2 wildlife biologist.

"By September, you should be able to get a very good idea about mast conditions in the areas where you hunt," Barton said. "Bo

West Virginia Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook

Posted on 10/01/2015

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The 2015 “Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook” is available on the Division of Natural Resources’ website and at DNR offices across the state, according to Paul Johansen, Chief of the Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section. Since 1971, the Wildlife Resources Section, in cooperation with volunteers from numerous other agencies, has conducted a fall mast survey to determine the abundance of mast produced by 18 species of trees and shrubs.

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold 12 public meetings across the state in March to provide hunters, trappers, anglers, landowners and other interested parties an opportunity to review and comment on proposed 2015 hunting regulations for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, black bear and boar, proposed 2016 - 2017 general hunting and trapping regulations and proposed 2016 fishing regulations.

Very Important! A message from the WV Wildlife Federation President

Posted on 01/28/2015

All,

We have reached a critical time for the future of deer hunting in West Virginia. It is absolutely imperative that you contact your WV State Senator's office TODAY and let them know that you OPPOSE the transfer of regulation of Captive Cervid facilities (deer farms) from the WVDNR to the WV Department of Agriculture.

Walt Helmick and WV Agriculture would like to see a few wealthy individuals killing pen-raised deer inside of a tiny enclosure, and they do not respect t

West Virginia Hunters Harvest 2,385 Black Bears in 2014

Posted on 01/16/2015

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va.– West Virginia hunters harvested 2,385 black bears during the combined 2014 archery and firearms seasons, according to Colin Carpenter, Black Bear Project Leader for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The preliminary harvest data for the combined 2014 seasons were 11 percent lower than the 2013 harvest of 2,692 bears. The black bear harvest of 2014 marks the fifth time in five years that the harvest has topped 2,000 and is tied for the third highes

West Virginia Hunters Harvest 104,223 Deer in 2014

Posted on 01/16/2015

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Preliminary counts of game checking tags indicate West Virginia hunters harvested 104,223 white-tailed deer during the recently completed bucks-only, antlerless, muzzleloader, archery and youth/Class Q/Class XS deer seasons, according to Division of Natural Resources Director Bob Fala. This year's total harvest was 31 percent less than the 2013 deer harvest of 150,877 and 23 percent below the five-year average of 136,168.

West Virginia 2014 Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook

Posted on 09/23/2014

SOUTH CHARLESTON, West Virginia – The 2014 “Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook” is available on the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources website and printed copies will soon be available at DNR offices across the state, according to Curtis I. Taylor, Chief of the Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section. Since 1971, the Wildlife Resources Section, in cooperation with volunteers from numerous other agencies, has conducted a fall mast survey to determine the abundance of ma

Tree Stand Safety Urged by West Virginia Natural Resources Police

Posted on 11/02/2012

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – During the past few years in West Virginia, falls from elevated platforms, also called tree stands, have increased, according to Lt. Tim Coleman of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Section. Coleman encourages all hunters to be aware of the inherent dangers of hunting from a tree stand.

“This year alone we’ve had nine tree stand incidents reported that have resulted in life-threating injuries and one death,” Lt. Coleman s

Indiana CWD transported from Pennsylvania

Posted on 10/29/2012

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has issued an unusual directive to bow hunters afield in four southeastern Hoosier State counties this week: If you see a whitetail with a bright yellow ear-tag, kill it, and kill it fast.

And when you've recovered the deer, the agency says, don't worry about taking it to a local check station. Just call DNR Law Enforcement immediately.

This highly uncommon order from the state agency entrusted with managing wildlife

Two New Wildlife Management Areas Open to the Public

Posted on 10/29/2012

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The newly established Little Canaan Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and Sideling Hill WMA have been incorporated into the state’s WMA system, according to Curtis I. Taylor, Chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

“The addition of these two WMAs will provide hunting, trapping and fishing opportunities to sportsmen and women as well as other outdoor enthusiasts,” Taylor said.

A Raid on the Fish and Wildlife Trust?

Posted on 10/19/2012

Good News, Bad News, Fun News

Yesterday, an email from a reader at a state wildlife agencies asked if I had seen the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) "sequesterable and exempt budgetary resources" report regarding the Sequestration Transparency Act, part of a deal worked out last year to end the ongoing debt-ceiling crisis.

I hadn't. There's no possible way for anyone to be read-in on everything distributed from DC. But I got a copy of the report - and I didn't l

Big Game Harvest to be Checked at an Official Game Checking Station

Posted on 09/26/2012

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – With the opening of a variety of hunting seasons quickly approaching, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources reminds big game hunters that successful hunters must field tag and transport their deer, bear, turkey and wild boar to a Natural Resources Police Officer or official game checking station for re-tagging. This action must be completed by the hunter who harvests the animal and is required of all successful hunters, including landowners. A summary of t

West Virginia Wildlife Management Area Topographical Maps Available Online

Posted on 09/18/2012

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Topographical maps of 23 West Virginia Wildlife Management Areas are now available online, according to Frank Jezioro, director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The maps, featuring boundaries, contour lines, water features, roads and trails were produced by the DNR Wildlife Resources Section.

“These maps should be a great help to hunters this fall when they head out

Weekend of outdoor events at National Hunting and Fishing Day Celebration September 22 and 23 at Stonewall Resort State Park

Posted on 09/05/2012

ROANOKE, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR), together with the West Virginia Wildlife Federation, will be hosting West Virginia’s Annual Celebration of
National Hunting and Fishing Day (NH&FD) on Sept. 22 and 23. The event will again be held at Stonewall Resort State Park near Weston, conveniently located off Exit 91 of Interstate 79.

“National Hunting and Fishing Day is designed to appeal to outdoor enthusiasts of any age – and is especially benefic

DNR’s Bear Rocks Lake Wildlife Management Area

Posted on 08/16/2012

Project gets boost from Cabela’s and Williams Energy Corporation

WHEELING, W.Va. – Major improvements soon will be underway at Bear Rocks Lake Wildlife Management Area in Ohio County, thanks to a $10,000 contribution from Williams Energy Corporation through
Cabela’s Wheeling store Community Campfire Fund. Bear Rocks Lake WMA is owned and managed by the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

Sportsmen the Tree Huggers are at it again!

Posted on 05/31/2012

By Charlie Nichols

The poor sportsmen of West Virginia; sometimes it seems they can never get a break. A break from the intrusion of the radical environmentalists into habitat management projects for wildlife planned on the Monongahela National Forest that is. Between the Upper Greenbrier Project and the call for a new National Monument, the Forest Service biologist have a difficult time doing anything positive about wildlife habitat improvements on the Mon. More old growth, more wi

Online boating safety course now available

Posted on 05/31/2012

Online boating safety course now available on any mobile device, recognized by West Virginia Division of Natural Resource Law Enforcement

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Anyone born after December 31, 1986, must successfully complete a Boating Safety Education Course before operating a motorboat or personal watercraft upon the waters of West Virginia. Free Boating Safety classes are offered across the state by Natural Resources Police Officers of the West Virginia Division of Natural Reso

West Virginia Hunters Harvest 8,332 Spring Turkeys

Posted on 05/31/2012

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Preliminary harvest figures for the 2012 spring gobbler season are in and West Virginia hunters checked in 8,332 bearded turkeys, according to Frank Jezioro, director of the Division of Natural Resources. This year's harvest is a 10 percent decline from the 2011 harvest and a 15 percent decline from the previous five-year average.

Biologists have long recognized that the brood counts two years prior are fairly accurate predictors of harvest since most of

Appeals court overturns W.Va. flying squirrel decision

Posted on 08/20/2012

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A federal appeals court has ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was right four years ago when it took the West Virginia northern flying squirrel off the
endangered species list.

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Friday overturned a lower court ruling that agency officials had wrongly tried to rewrite their own recovery plan for
the squirrel without subjecting the changes to public review and comment.

Senior Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License Clarification

Posted on 08/20/2012

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia hunters and anglers who buy a license in 2012 before their 65th birthday do not have to buy the Class XS Senior Lifetime Hunting,
Trapping and Fishing License until January 1, 2013, according to Frank Jezioro, Division of Natural Resources director.

“When you purchase an annual hunting or fishing license, that license is good for the entire year, regardless of age,” Jezioro said. “The new Senior Lifetime L

Leave Young Wildlife Alone

Posted on 04/27/2012

FRENCH CREEK, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) advises people to leave all young wildlife alone. "The spring season is the time of year when the woods and fields of West Virginia are full of new life," said Gene Thorn, wildlife biologist at the West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French Creek. "People have a great opportunity to view and enjoy young wildlife during this season, but it is especially important for the public to understand the need to avoid touc

Spring Gobbler Survey and Poaching Information

Posted on 04/20/2012

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The spring turkey hunting season in West Virginia begins April 23 and runs through May 19. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR), in cooperation with the West Virginia Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), is preparing to conduct its annual survey of spring gobbler hunters and is seeking hunters to participate. Each year the surveys are conducted to determine hunting success, gobbling activity, opinions on a variety of subjects and to

U.S. House Votes to Protect Hunting / Shooting on Public Land

Posted on 04/19/2012

With bipartisan support the U.S. House of Representatives today approved the most significant pro-sportsmen legislation in 15 years. H.R. 4089, which passed by a vote of 274-146, is a package of high priority issues supported by every nationally prominent conservation and sportsmen's organization. The bill was supported by 235 Republicans and 39 Democrats.

West Virginia Dog Bill Amended to Protect Sporting Dog Owners

Posted on 02/26/2012

Sportsmen's Calls Still Needed to Protect The Sporting Dog Exemption

West Virginia Senate Bill 406, sponsored by Senate President Jeffrey V. Kessler (D-Marshall), creates new regulations for dog owners classified as "commercial dog breeders." The original definition of a commercial breeder included anyone who owned 11 or more unsterilized adult dogs, who was in the business of breeding animals for sale, and who sold more than 15 dogs in a year. T

Ready, Set, Trap

Posted on 12/22/2011

Trapping continues to be a hot topic in some regions, and a target for anti-trapping organizations everywhere. The robust fur markets in some regions of the country today are proof that trapping is here to stay for a long, long time. Trapping is definitely an important hobby, outdoors pursuit, and vital tool for wildlife managers.

If you need more reason to get outdoors, or want to improve the odds of survival for some popular and huntable animal species like rabbits, waterfowl, or

Court Decision Threatens Hunting on National Forest Lands

Posted on 10/29/2010

USSA Urges U.S. Forest Service to Fix Forest Planning Regulation

On October 26th, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) and a coalition of nineteen other leading conservation groups sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service requesting that it rewrite certain regulations. That language was recently used by a Federal Court to render an anti-hunting decision.

The court ruling, by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, requires the Forest Service

Economic Impact of Black Bear Hunting

Posted on 01/15/2010

During 2006, hunters in West Virginia purchased 23,383 black bear damage stamps. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) entered the names and address of these individuals into a database. In May 2007, the WVDNR conducted a systematic random survey of these individuals to determine the effectiveness of early hunting seasons, hunter participation and distribution, and the economic impact black bear hunting in West Virginia. These data were analyzed as part of the project leader

National Park Service Pushing Land Grab

Posted on 12/08/2011

By Bill Horn, Director of Federal Affairs

The National Park Service (NPS) is eyeing important hunting lands for inclusion in a large new West Virginia park unit. Apparently the agency is looking at establishing this new unit – the High Allegheny National Park — in the Allegheny Mountains

EPA Notifies Four West Virginia Growers to Obtain Discharge Permits

(PHILADELPHIA – Nov. 30, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has notified four poultry growers in West Virginia to cease discharging pollutants from farms to waterways and obtain the necessary permits that are required by the Clean Water Act.

H.R. 2834 passed the Committee with strong bipartisan support by a vote of 29-14. This vital piece of legislation would require fishing, hunting and recreational shooting to be included in all federal land planning documents and would fix numerous incons

Reporting fish and wildlife violations in West Virginia just got easier

Posted on 09/19/2011

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Reporting poaching and other fish and wildlife law violations just got easier. The Law Enforcement Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) has added a new website option for reporting activity that threatens fish, wildlife and critical habitat. Submitting a tip sends a message to DNR district office staff for response. The website can be found at Read More...»

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Expanding Hunting on 10 National Wildlife Refuges

Posted on 07/13/2011

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced a proposal to provide additional hunting opportunities on 10 National Wildlife Refuges. Included in the proposal are expanded hunting opportunities at the following Refuges:

Senior Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License in Effect for 2012

Posted on 04/08/2011

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Resident hunters and anglers who reach 65 years of age on or after January 1, 2012, will need to purchase the new Class XS Senior Sportsman's Lifetime License to hunt, fish or trap in the state, according to Frank Jezioro, director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The West Virginia Legislature has established the new lifetime license to permit the DNR to capture more federal r

West Virginia Wildlife Federation Hunting Guide

Posted on 12/11/2009

This “Guide” is to help Hunters and Fishermen to better understand and comply with the Fish and Game Laws of West Virginia.

The purpose of this information packet, is inform Hunters and Fishermen in terms that are easy to understand, some of the rules and laws they must obey while hunting and fishing. This packet is an effort to help better understand what we can or cannot do while hunting and or fishing. This does not explain every law, just some of the most over loo